Welcoming Our Bishop-Elect is a Great Joy and a Time for Gratitude
On March 20th we had the great joy of welcoming and announcing the appointment of Msgr. David J. Malloy of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to be the ninth Bishop of Rockford.
As I said on that occasion, I have known Monsignor Malloy for more than 25 years. We worked at the same time in Rome and Msgr. Malloy was an immense help to me while I was Chairman of the Canonical Affairs Committee for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Over that time I have come to know him to be a person of great heart, much wisdom and a pleasant personality. I am sure that the priests and people of the Diocese of Rockford will quickly discover these qualities in him and more besides, and I am grateful to the Holy Spirit and the Holy Father for such a propitious appointment of the ninth Bishop of Rockford.
I have spent a quarter of a century as a priest of this diocese and the last nearly 18 years as bishop of the Diocese, and I regard those years as precious gifts of God. I have been the beneficiary of countless prayers and good wishes over time. I hope that those continue in due measure as I am grateful to the conscientious priests, devoted religious and faithful laity of the Diocese who have made my time as priest and bishop a great joy.
People ask what I intend to do in retirement. I have no specific plans other than to do what I have always done: I hope to be at the disposition of the bishop, priests and people for whatever they require of me, and I do not hesitate to say that I will do willingly whatever is within my ability to do.
I take this occasion to express my gratitude to all who have been of help to me over the last 50 years in my priesthood. Be sure that you are in my prayers, as I make a remembrance of myself in yours.
It falls to all of us now to welcome our new shepherd when he comes to be ordained our bishop, as to profit to him not only our prayers for his success, but our words and works in advancement of the cause to which he calls us.